Pay Attention
by Trisa Slyne
Summary: Anomen does not understand why Shian of Candlekeep does not love him. She is so obsessed with getting Imoen back that she does not even notice his advances. But he knows if she would just stop talking to Haer'Dalis and pay attention to him she would see he is willing to do whatever it takes to be with her. Silly. (Stress reliever from exams). One-shot.


**AN: I don't own the rights to Baldur's Gate**

**Pay Attention**

Anomen sighed. Shian of Candlekeep. She was so beautiful. And she listened to him. He had never had a woman pay that much attention to him when he talked. Most in fact called him annoying and asked him to go away. But not her.

Except right now she was busy talking with that bard. That tiefling bard. He was not good enough for her, but she seemed to talk to him often. She seemed to have high regard for what he said. Anomen felt a bubble of jealousy burble up, but squashed it back down. He knew she could not possibly be interested in that _tiefling_. After all, she was a fair and beautiful half-elf. Elves did not mingle with his ilk. She had never said as much- she was much too kind. But he had noticed her pointed ears and knew she was at least part-elven. He had to guess she was half human by her eyes. They were beautiful human eyes.

He decided he had had enough. He would confront her now about her flirtations and demand to know why she was playing this game. Either she loved him or not but by the gods he had to know now. But of course, he would have to be tactful about it.

Anomen walked smoothly up to Shian and coughed. She looked up and he could see a light enter her eyes at the sight of him. Clearly, she was in love with him. He just needed to make her aware of it. He gestured to a table and she shrugged and followed him.

"My Lady," he began, knowing how much she loved that title, "I do not understand why you spend so much time with that… bard," he finished tactfully. Being racist would get him nowhere.

"I'm a tiefling," she said slowly, taking a seat.

He froze. "But… but your ears. They're pointed," he tried lamely.

She raised an eyebrow at him and lifted her helm, showing small horns underneath.

"But you don't have a tail!" he insisted. "And you aren't annoying, like _him_," Anomen said, gesturing at Haer'Dalis, who walked over to see what was going on.

Shian blushed, a beautiful blush that had him picturing her blushing as he took her hand in matrimony. "I'm not going to pull it out and show you…" she said helplessly.

Anomen sat back a moment and debated. He was not fond of tieflings, true. But for Shian, he could overlook his discomfort. Besides, he could just tell everyone she was elvish and not mention the tiefligng thing. She had done a decent job of hiding the horns and tail. She could continue to do so forever. Hopefully their children would get his genes. But then he suddenly realized her attraction to _him_. A common race in an unfamiliar place. As it sunk in, he suddenly envisioned her hand in hand with that bard.

"You're not… with _him_, are you?" Anomen asked, horrified, again gesturing at Haer'Dalis. Haer'Dalis laughed and shook his head.

"Anomen," Shian hissed. "I'm _gay_."

"What?" Anomen said. He stood up suddenly. "No. You've said no such thing!"

Shian sighed. "Well maybe you should actually listen to me instead of just planning out your next pick-up line while I talk..."

He said nothing, but merely walked away.

That night, Anomen concocted the perfect plan to make Shian love him. He approached Aerie for help. He made up an excuse for why he needed that particular item. She seemed concerned until he told her he merely wanted to study it. She could not come up with a good reason for him not to have it, so she relented and gave it to him.

Shian yawned and woke up. It was another day. She looked in her money bag and regretted having to waste money on an inn. But they had spent so many nights outside. _I'll get you soon, Imoen, _she thought, with a pang of guilt. Here she was in luxurious comfort, when Imoen could be in some cell somewhere, suffering the same agony they all had for months. She tried not to think of what Imoen could be going through. She had to keep moving forward, to keep doing more and more quests in order to save up enough money to save Imoen.

A knock on her door pulled her out of her thoughts. She got up and opened the door. A busty blonde woman that she did not recognize stood in the doorway.

"My love, now we can be together," she said in a melodious voice.

Shian took a step back. "E-excuse me?" she said, unsure of herself. "Who are you?"

"It's me," she said, sweeping into the room past Shian, "Anomen. I've changed myself so we can be together." She stood in the middle of the room, arms outstretched in a "ta-da" posture.

Shian gaped.

"I can accept your being a tiefling. And after a while I found I could accept you being gay!" Anomen beamed at her. "But I cannot accept us not being together! So I have done what was necessary." Anomen gestured at the belt around her waist.

Shian finally had had enough. "I'm sorry, but it's still not possible for us to be together," she announced.

Anomen looked dismayed. "But my love, why not?"

"Imoen is my girlfriend," she said firmly. "And even if she weren't, I wouldn't date you anyway. I'm sorry but you're just not my type."

Anomen stumbled away from her, all his hopes and dreams crashing down. This could not be, this could not be. "But, you're supposed to love me," he finally squeaked.

She looked at him sadly, pityingly, but could only shake her head. "I'm sorry," she said.

Anomen gaped at her. "But I did all this- for you."

"Do yourself a favor," Shian said, gathering her things. "Don't change yourself for someone you love. Find someone who loves you for who you are."

Shian left the room. Anomen stood in the middle of the room, uncertain of what to do now. He slowly crumpled to the ground. He did not know how long he lay there before Aerie came in. Aerie cradled Anomen's head in her lap. Anomen stared mournfully up at her.

"Do you think anyone will ever love me?" Anomen asked her.

Aerie smiled and caressed Anomen's forhead. "I'm fairly certain someone already does, if only you were to notice," she said slowly. His eyes met hers and she blushed and smiled shyly. Anomen smiled and took her hand.

"I'm not myself at the moment," Anomen admitted.

Aerie laughed softly. "We can all get a little crazy sometimes. But I think you're perfect no matter what form you happen to be in."

Anomen smiled. He wasn't sure whether he wanted to stay a woman or not. But he finally knew somebody loved him.


End file.
